[FootyGirl88]

It's not the subs that killed us, it's surrendering possession and sitting deep. We suck at parking the bus and often concede within minutes of doing so. Unfortunately we aren't great at controlling possession under Jose either so seeing out the game by holding the ball isn't much of an option as well

Jose needs to learn from this he keeps making the same mistakes - it's really stressing me out. We are much more dangerous with the ball than without.

 

[montpelier]

You can always get done by a high ball when the team is (understandably) defending a lead with nearly everyone back. The attacker gets a run on the ball, the defender doesn't. Most times this doesn't happen - this is why teams drop deep in the final minutes. At least we didn't do it for the whole game.

1st half was poor, 2nd half was better (altho Chelseas were sloppy I thought)

I thought a draw was a fair result overall, unfortunately. Obviously it feels like 2pts got thrown away - but 2pts got gained in the same way vs. Newcastle.

We are where we are. The spine 4 of the CBs, the DM (Matic) & Lukaku isn't it really?

Maybe Jose is trying to be a bit more progressive - compared to last year - but it's not working in terms of controlling games & winning games relatively easily, creating lots of chances by carving teams open like others do. And we are conceding more I think.

As for the end, I'd have more sympathy with Jose if he hadn't of been wumming all match although the Chelsea guy is obviously a massive prick. Expect FA just to charge Mourinho with Klopp doing us a pre hearing riff about how impeccable behaviour on the touchline is essential. Impressive from Sarri though, moving to defuse it in that way & taking responsibility.

I don't totally blame Mourinho for how we are - (see Spine 4 above) He's done better than LVG & Moyes but we don't need to be keeping him much longer, it's definitely time for a change.

 

[crossy1686]

Still fuming about the result but if you're rational about it, it's a good point at the Bridge and we haven't won there in a long, long time so I'd have taken the result before the match.

I'm most annoyed about this forum and the fickleness of some people on here who try to spin everything as Mourinho's fault. Let's get one thing straight, the only thing that cost us a win today was our inability to concentrate in the 96th minute of a football match and adequately deal with a cross into the box. You can say what you like about the subs and the tactics, it doesn't matter if Jose was bring on Messi, if we can't sense and clear danger that late in a game we're always going to concede, no matter who the manager is. On top of that, 6 minutes? Fergie would have gone fecking mad and rightly so.

Those of you who have come on here to blame Jose need to have a serious word with themselves about their priorities. We played well today and deserved a win overall away from home against a team who are widely being talked about as title outsiders. If you're only contribution is to come on this forum and complain about our manager, there is something seriously wrong with you.

 

[Fridge chutney]

Chelsea as a club being classless? That's about the least surprising thing I've seen all year.

 

[Patrick08]

Who lost the header for the second goal in dying minutes?

 

[Murder on Zidanes Floor]

Substitutions killed us.

Mata and Martial were our best players today and instead of pushing for a comfortable lead, Jose subs them off for “defensive minded” players to see the last 22 minutes out! What could possibly go wrong right?

Ugh.

I’m pro-Mourinho but he proved what everyone was saying about him right today. Mata and Martial had no business getting subbed off after that performance. Absolutely baffling decision that was always gonna come back and haunt us.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing. If he had kept them on and we had conceded, the post match comments would have been "why didn't we shut up shop?!"

 

[Fridge chutney]

How can Chelsea fans sing 'feck off Mourinho' to their best ever manager?

Because they're a classless bunch. Some things seldom change.

 

[Patrick08]

Jose needs to learn from this he keeps making the same mistakes - it's really stressing me out. We are much more dangerous with the ball than without.

The sun can not rise from the west.

One who doesn't evolve gets overrun, and Jose is refusing to evolve.

 

[BigRon1985]

Why are we such a Jekyll and Hyde side? First half crap, second half much better! And why do we always raise our game when our backs are against the wall and not when we are playing mid table and relegation fodder teams? I’d have taken a point at the start of the day but now this feels like a defeat. So frustrating!

 

[cyberman]

Substitutions killed us.

Mata and Martial were our best players today and instead of pushing for a comfortable lead, Jose subs them off for “defensive minded” players to see the last 22 minutes out! What could possibly go wrong right?

Ugh.

I’m pro-Mourinho but he proved what everyone was saying about him right today. Mata and Martial had no business getting subbed off after that performance. Absolutely baffling decision that was always gonna come back and haunt us.

Who was defensive minded?

 

[Patrick08]

why didn't we shut up shop?!"

Because we ain't good at it.

 

[BusbyMalone]

Well you can't say it wasn't entertaining. Brutal way to lose a game though. I think we had some decent spells, but the first half in particular wasn't great. Gave the ball away way too cheaply and didn't make the most of possession when we had it. Grew in the second half though; especially after the Martial goal. The result is a good one in isolation, but we're just falling behind rapidly from the top. Not that i expect us to challenge for the title, but if we won this i think we would have been 4 points off Chelsea.

Meh.

Anyway, at least there's some positives to look at, which isn't always the case with us. Oh, and Chelsea fans hey? Fecking bellends.

 

[crossy1686]

Who lost the header for the second goal in dying minutes?

Judging by this place, Mourinho was man marking him but fecked off to do an interview about his genius instead.

 

[Kapardin]

Was heart-breaking to concede that one. Victory at the Bridge was a valuable 3 points, closing the gap and also an important mental block overcome.

Can't blame Jose too much for this, but I am happy Martial is in murderous form. He will be key for our CL and FA Cup campaign, which is the only thing that interests me this season.

 

[Patrick08]

Judging by this place, Mourinho was man marking him but fecked off to do an interview about his genius instead.

Well i was expecting an answer, was it young?

 

[montpelier]

Well i was expecting an answer, was it young?

Might have been Smalling I think from reading back a few pages. Not sure though.

 

[wythyred]

Thought it was a good performance.

Shame we couldn't see it out at the end but overall I'm happy with that.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Might have been Smalling I think from reading back a few pages. Not sure though.

Sure somebody mentioned Smalling when it was mentioned by somebody else about how well he had played.

 

[King.of.Red]

Well, at least we get 1 point. Not too disappointed with the result. And happy to see Jose and Martial look like have no problem anymore, hopefully.
Btw, chelshit supporters are classless cnuts. cant believe how their supporters treat Jose, so disrespectful and disgusting. He was calm even when we scored the goals.

 

[Addled]

I predicted a 1-1 draw with Fellaini playing. It was 2-2 without Fellaini so that was a result.
The only classless person in or around the pitch at the Bridge was Jose. What an absolute wanker. He is involved in professional sport and cannot keep his feelings in check. If any of his players reacted as he did they would have been sent off. No amount of “they apologized to me later” would have made anyone feel any better. The sooner this ego maniac fecks off the better.
Today we saw 5/6 players who are good enough to call themselves United players and 4/5 who are the absolute waste of money of a drunk in a bar.
Time to move on.

 

[afrocentricity]

Btw, chelshit supporters are classless cnuts. cant believe how their supporters treat Jose, so disrespectful and disgusting. He was calm even when we scored the goals.

Are you surprised?

 

[Schmeichel's Cartwheel]

I would like to see a fluid, interchanging front 3 of Martial, Rashford & Sanchez tried out for a few games. Mata at #10 with Pogba & Fred/Herrera behind. Lukaku & Matic have been off the boil for a while

 

[Raees]

I've never understood the point of these lists. They've always largely seemed an exercise in organising two teams in a way to give you the result you want. e.g. Why have you compared Hazard to Rashford and Sanchez (presumably meaning our right wing) when he predominately plays from the left for Chelsea?

Because no point matching Martial against Hazard because if we’re looking at the three forwards as a whole - you’d say it is Martial, Lukaku and Hazard are the three most dangerous ones out of those names listed.

Either way the lists are basically saying that saying one team is more talented because it’s playing better football is not always true because Liverpool have some very average players on a individual basis but it’s disguised due to the aesthetic quality of their play which derives heavily from their tactical system. It’s a perception issue.

United under a attacking manager would suddenly have their players rated a lot higher.

 

[Moriarty]

Sure somebody mentioned Smalling when it was mentioned by somebody else about how well he had played.

I thought Smalling had a good game. Lindelof too showed some good positional sense (shutting out Giroud who would have been through) but there's still too much inconsistency in his play.

 

[Raees]

Does it really matter now though? The Matic we now have is past his peak and will need to be replaced pretty soon.

He is past his peak but I don’t think he’s a complete write off based on how he played today. Many of our players are playing like they’re past their peak - if they’re happy and motivated and being coached right - perceptions will change on certain players like we are already witnessing with Martial and Shaw.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

I thought Smalling had a good game. Lindelof too showed some good positional sense (shutting out Giroud who would have been through) but there's still too much inconsistency in his play.

It's concentration half the time, as though they switch off and let people run off them or get themselves pulled into the wrong position. Maybe I mean defensive discipline.

 

[Jazz]

Still gutted about the result. Two points thrown away.

 

[Moriarty]

Jose needs to learn from this he keeps making the same mistakes - it's really stressing me out. We are much more dangerous with the ball than without.

Yep. Chav defenders were bricking it when they went 1-2 down and Martial was running at them. Subs were bizarre. Mata was causing them problems with his passing and runs and even Lukaku was finding space between the centre backs.

 

[Patrick08]

We equalised the same way under Lvg at old Trafford when Rvp scored in dying seconds. It's reversed on us now.

When holding on to the lead the ball will always be closer to the Mourinho's team goal.

 

[Patrick220571]

Hindsight is a wonderful thing. If he had kept them on and we had conceded, the post match comments would have been "why didn't we shut up shop?!"

Shutting up shop can be a good tactic, if you have players that can actually defend. We don't have them.

 

[IRELANDUNITED]

Great performance by us today, showed a bit of courage and if we play like that in every game we'll shoot up the table. Lukaku was a joke tho, what is the point of him? He does nothing. Fair play to Jose, he needs to get them playing like that every week and drop Lukaku and then everything will be OK

 

[Moriarty]

It's concentration half the time, as though they switch off and let people run off them or get themselves pulled into the wrong position. Maybe I mean defensive discipline.

Probably so. Smalling is notorious for this. Lindelof is still a Premiership novice and maybe needs a leader alongside him.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Probably so. Smalling is notorious for this. Lindelof is still a Premiership novice and maybe needs a leader alongside him.

I agree that we need someone in there to organise them.

 

[Nickthepip]

Thought Chelsea were very ordinary. They’ll soon lose pace with City and Pool in my opinion. One injury away from mediocrity.

As for us, first half wasn’t great. It seems to take us going behind to start playing and we did well for the spell between the goals. Got forced too deep by the substitutions though which was asking for trouble.

 

[Patrick08]

I agree that we need someone in there to organise them.

Don't know how any young player with age is going to lead them who is new in the team.

 

[Jazz]

I would like a journalist to ask Jose why we only play when we're behind. I'd love to know why we start the way we do. Fecking go at them the minute the whistle blows. Teams aren't expecting it from us nowadays so we might as well surprise them with something new. I dunno. I just get frustrated because we can do so much better than the shite we served up in the first half.

 

[PoTMS]

Few things this game has confirmed for me

• We won't make top four as we can't keep the back door closed
• We actually have good football players
• Jose knows how to play actual football
• We are more than a match for the bigger teams when we can be fecked
• Chelsea aren't very good

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Don't know how any young player with age is going to lead them who is new in the team.

That is why he wanted Toby, good number of appearances under his belt, top class defender, who is PL experienced.

 

[Livvie]

Hindsight is a wonderful thing. If he had kept them on and we had conceded, the post match comments would have been "why didn't we shut up shop?!"

From some. But most of us want to press on for more goals and will accept conceding if it happens. Inviting them to press us by going defensive is madness with our shaky defence.

 

[Patrick08]

That is why he wanted Toby, good number of appearances under his belt, top class defender, who is PL experienced.

Well its a real catch 22 you know, on one hand if he really wants toby than he should go on war with the board decisions on other hand he got Matic and Sanchez for us in that age group whos signing has went south if we look at the whole picture till now.

Any experienced player has to be on prime of his game.